Unemployment Resources

Part-time community college faculty members are eligible for unemployment benefits between semesters (if you have no other source of income). Eligibility for unemployment benefits is based upon the court ruling known as the "Cervisi Decision" and the fact that part-time faculty have "no reasonable assurance" of employment because their status is legally considered "temporary" and is contingent upon funding, enrollment, and program needs.

Part-time faculty members may legally apply for unemployment while receiving pension benefits, such as Social Security and STRS defined benefit pension.

The presentation "Filing for Unemployment" (BELOW) is a comprehensive step by step look at the questions and process of filing for unemployment and is the best place to start.

Remember, you are "a part-time, contingent, community college instructor, with no contract and no reasonable assurance of re-employment" for the following semester, even if your department has tentatively offered you a class for the following semester. You should NOT say that you have a job for the next semester - that class could be taken away for any of many reasons not within your control, which is why you are eligible for unemployment benefits as soon as the current semester ends.

Also remember that you should answer NO to the question that asks, "Are you a member of a union?" In the context of that EDD question, the SMC Faculty Association is not considered a union because we do not provide services that go out and try to find other jobs for you.

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